Jennifer Real: Protecting Clean Water

“We all need water to live, that’s the bottom line,” says Jennifer
Real. She knows that truth all too well—her mother-in-law died from
exposure to toxins in contaminated water. That’s why
PTA-mom-turned-activist Real is leading the fight against plans for
toxic waste storage near her home in Montgomery County, Texas.

The site Texcom Gulf Disposal plans to use for the waste injection
wells is an old oil field. It has fissures and corroded well casings
that could leak industrial waste into the Gulf Coast Aquifer—which
supplies water for people in 54 counties.

The permit for drilling has been granted, but after a five-year
campaign to save their water supply, Real and her neighbors aren’t
about to give up. They plan to appeal the decision.

“She
is very much engaged in doing what’s right for the community and the
long-term needs of our children and grandchildren,” says fellow
activist Karen Darcy. “We call her a mom on a mission.”

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